Ant Marketing - Opinions

[ModOne 10]

OK,

First week (in training) at Ant so I thought I should report back

 

The training was very good in my opinion. We were a mixed bunch to say the least but (Chris) the trainer did his upmost to accommodate us for the 3 days. Out of the 6 of us 1 guy fell asleep on the second day and didnt turn up for the third and another guy thought he knew it all anyway and decided he should "train the trainer" which annoyed me no end but it also made me realise the problem some of the people who go to work for Ant, and the problem is they simply do not listen !

 

Swipecards ! On the first day we were issued with swipe cards and informed that payroll department uses the information gathered from these card entrys to pay wages, how many of us took notice?

 

Well at least 2 guys thought it was beyond them to walk to the card reader to register their hours and one had lost his card by day 3

 

Attitude ! not so much in training (save for Mr Been-there-seen-it-done-it) but on the floor I found people who simply could not give a toss about the work, the company and more importantly the customers ? WTFIATA !

 

I'll be on the floor Tuesday and I know for a fact that if I put just 10% effort in I will be better than the idiots who start at Ant for a laugh. If I put 50% effort in I might be on a par with those who are working at Ant until something better comes along. If I put 99% effort in I reckon I just found myself a decent job with good money and long term prospects.

 

What about the 1% ?

 

Well, I am a bit of a bad boy and nobodys perfect

[Sheffielder 11]

Good update mate - thanks for that one !!

 

Interesting you talk about people on the floor who couldn't care less about the job - I would have thought you would have seen people who work hard given the money that's available to them ?

 

The bonus should drive staff hard to hit sales surely ?

 

Did they say why they weren't bothered ?

[theHook 10]

Maybe, when you know what makes them really tick then they'll be bothered. People are different. Give a smile and they'll do whatever it takes for that smile. GIving them encouragement and they'll go the extra mile.

 

Everybody thinks bonuses will move someone. It didn't for me in all I use to do in my business until, someone gave me a word of encouragement, smiled, and man did I move the business and did whatever it took.

 

Leaders, managers, sometimes damage the work that could happen by their ego, by playing mind games, by shaking someone's hand and not looking at them straight in the eyes or by just acting clever and trying to look like a leader.

 

Depends on the person but a leader should know the profile of his worker or customer so he can influence them to do what he or she wants them to do. That's what leadership is about. Not authority which is "telling someone what to do."

[ModOne 10]

On reflection it was harsh for me to say that some of the guys did not give a toss about the work. The reason I posted that comment needs to be more constructive and put into context as I am aware that my posts are my own personal opinion.

 

On the whole I found the guys at Ant to be very friendly, very accommodating and more importantly very positive. This may seem like I am spouting the company line (now I work for them) as given but that is far from the truth. I would not put the hopes and dreams of my family on the back of a company who wants to here one day and gone the next.

 

So, about those guys who I thought did not give a toss about the work then. Maybe its just me, maybe its because I have worked for companies and have seen it happen too many times, maybe its because if it was my company I would want to know WHY? I should employ someone who does not care for the company !

 

The Basic at Ant is enough to see the average family comfortable. The bonus is, well, a bonus. From the very first day I was looking for the catch and I still wait for the phone call or piece of paper that trashes the deal but it has yet to appear?

 

On top of that I get £x for every sale I make. Thats extra cash for doing the job they have employed me to do? How can this be I wondered?

 

Well, in my mind. Ant very generously pays the wages. AIG (my campaign) pays Ant to pay the wages and in return AIG recieves the business. The customer pays for the business and everyone wins. However if the guys (like me) at Ant don't do too well at selling the business for AIG there will be no generouse basic pay and no generouse bonus in the future because we will have no clients !

 

When you put your back behind the people you work for you push them forward. When you turn your back against them you push yourself backwards

 

John.

[Sheffielder 11]

Thanks John - good stuff and it seems you look happy in your new position !

 

Looking at the bonus - would it be enough (cashwise) to tempt you to push harder for a sale or are there other motivating factors involved ?

[ModOne 10]

Interesting question Sheffielder

 

I think that if I use the bonus as my motivation to push for a sale then I would be doing the customer and the company a diservice. I feel that at the end of the day I should have worked hard enough to earn my coin, I should have pulled my weight with the rest of the team to achieve targets and I should be professional enough to take care of business.

[LifeOfStyle 10]

Email this lady.....she's great at getting you work!

 

[email protected]

 

Linsco are a massive agency and Zoe's the best!

[Specialist1972 10]

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[ModOne 10]

Update - Week 4 !

 

Sales !

To be fair the job is everything I expected and more ! its hard, its demanding and above all its challenging. Its not challenging in the cerbral context, although there is a fair amount of brain work involved its more challenging in the way you put yourself across to your customers, your colleagues and yourself. The customers being the hardest

 

Hard week this week - not just for me but for everyone. Yes we would have all liked to have achieved target but for most of us it just did not happen as hard as we tried.

 

Our britches will be down Monday morning and that is to be expected, we are after all here to sell a product and if we can not do that (however hard that task may be) there will be no product to sell.

 

F3ck3d off already ? far from it.

 

So we had a bad week, so what ! it happens. Plenty of advice, encouragement, training and humour to be found on the floor if you look for it !

 

Is it going to be the same next week? is it f3ck - too many good people pulling together to make sure we will succeed

[JayT 10]

woop woop 1st post..

 

just giving my 2cent.

 

Ive been working for ANT (Chesterfield) for 6 months now. tomorrow is my last day there as im moving on to better things thanks to the experiance that ANT gave me.

 

1st yes the job can be mind numbing you do the same thing day in and day out. BUT its easy you sit in a air-conditiond office drinking coffee and speaking on the phone. its easy money for nothing really. the Bonus is obtainable most of the time untin a campaign comes to an end. in my first week i cam back will £100 just in bonus.

 

The People where I worked are great, The Team Leaders Quality and managers where great to work with, friendly and helpful, both once did my job and so know whats its like.

 

you can also work towards NVQ's and Health and Safety Qualifications

 

My Pay has all ways been right as ive looked after my swipe card.

 

 

Basicaly if you need a job just call,

Ive enjoyed my time there and will be sad to leave the friends live made

 

James

[funkymonkey 10]

I did apply for a position with Ant marketing against all the stick they have been getting, Only to have been turned down due to the fact that I have my arm in a cast due to a broken wrist............ERRR hello I can still type and managed to pass a data entry test with a recruitment agency...I am over qualified for the position but it was only for ten weeks..I can't honnestly understand what is wrong with them.....Then they said that they would give me a ring when my cast is off.....What the hell....like im going to say yes after the way you've been..............AMATEURS

[Andy_28 10]

ANT's payroll run is from the 20th to the 20th - and staff are paid on the last day of the month.

 

Ant Marketing DOES pay for your first week - and any suggestions otherwise are just mischievous and incorrect

 

Although it may be reduced rate for first few days while the 5 day training is completed, and if you leave in the first 72 hours or something you don't get paid.

 

I cant remember the exact details but on AIG campaign thats how it was, worked on admin side.